Libraries had a strong presence at the Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development, through engagement in sessions, direct contact with delegates, and a side-event focused on how libraries empower people to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
IFLA will be well represented at the Forum of the Countries of Latin American and Caribbean Forum on Sustainable Development on 25-28 April. This meeting brings together UN officials, national governments, experts and civil society in order to share experiences and define priorities for ensuring an inclusive recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Last month, a team of librarians from around the world engaged with governments at the UN in New York, building understanding of the role of libraries in development, and creating new links with decision-makers - including a national president! This article shares lessons and reflections from the team who attended.
A strong delegation of libraries engaged actively at the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. In addition to building links with senior decision-makers, they gained valuable insights to share with colleagues, contributing to building a more sustainable library field.
We're already well into the United Nations High-Level Political Forum in New York, with our team of librarians from four different continents hard at work ensuring that governments understand the potential of libraries to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals. But what goals did they have in coming to the Forum?
IFLA has prepared analysis of the set of Voluntary National Reviews of implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals being presented at this year's UN High-Level Political Forum. It has been another year of above-average numbers of references to libraries, linked to a wider range of SDGs than ever before.
Libraries are well represented at this year's UN High-Level Political Forum! With librarians from four different contents, including six countries which are currently undertaking Voluntary National Reviews, we're in a great position to share experience from the ground, as well as the values that shape our field as a whole.
Through our work around the Sustainable Development Goals, IFLA argues that libraries are essential partners for development, and should be integrated into planning and implementation. Voluntary National Reviews provide a particular opportunity to set out where these partnerships stand, and how we can go further. We interviewed colleagues in Jamaica to find out more about how libraries are being involved in Review preparation there.
Media and information literacy (MIL) plays a key role in giving people the ability to find, understand, evaluate and create information. Libraries have a long expertise in helping users of all ages, in all situations do this, in order to create, innovate, and improve their lives. IFLA attended this year’s Global MIL Week feature conference in Jamaica in order to underline this point in front of an international audience.